Unknown Path
by bunnylove28
Summary: Sean and Holden, after the fade out. How will the couple progress now that Sean has come out of the closet? Mature Content.
1. Chapter 1

**Thank you all for sticking with me. There have been some minor changes in this chapter to help me with the flow of the rest of the story. It is still the same for the most part. I do not own the characters, just this plot. Thanks so much for reading. Hope you all enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter 1~ Making up

Holden walked into Sean's condo. He picked a flower they had planted themselves and went inside. Finding him asleep, he ran the flower down the side of his face, as he smiled down at the man he loved.

* * *

He had been away on business, and he hoped Sean knew how important he was to him. After stepping off the plane, he wasn't in any hurry to go face the man who he had asked to make a choice. He was sick of being a secret; he wanted a commitment from the man he loved. While he waited for a taxi, the televisions in the waiting area aired the news. The big story of the day was Sean Jackson coming out of the closet and staying in the game. He couldn't wait to get home.

* * *

"Hey," Sean smiled up at Holden, beyond thrilled that he was there.

"Hey, yourself." He said dropping down to Sean's level and kissed him slowly savoring their reunion. Pulling back he couldn't keep the smile off his face, "I saw the news." Was all he said before he pulled Sean up from his chair, and into his strong arms. Their lips crashed together as Sean tired to show Holden how much he meant to him without words. Their tongues tangled, and groping each other as they stumbled their way to the bedroom.

Sean pulled away, needing to breath, and some answers as to where they stood. While Holden never hid that his sexuality; they never went anywhere as a couple, only as friends. He wanted to know how this was going to work. Holden had slightly more experience, and while Sean was nervous, he wanted to really be with him. "So you're later than normal. Was there traffic?"

"No, it just took forever to get a taxi."

"Taxi? What happened to the car service?"

"Well I met this woman on the plane; she is a Captain in the Army. Her name is Kate, and she was flying 14 hours across the country, just to spend a few hours with someone she loves. Before she had to turn around and head back to her post. There was a very long line for taxi, and the shuttle was worse. I gave her the car service so she could get to him faster. I'm glad I did. I never would have caught the news otherwise. "

"Wow. You have never let anyone use the care service."

"It was for love. Today love rules all." He said pulling Sean over to their bed, and pushing him down onto it."

"Yes, it does." Was all the response Sean could manage before Holden's lips crashed onto his. The two began slowly undressing and exploring each other. By the time they were both in their boxers there was heavy panting and an urgency to be close to one another that they hadn't felt for a long time. As if reading the other's thoughts, they each slipped a hand into the other's boxers, causing loud moans to erupt from both of them. They stayed in perfect sync as they brought each other over the edge.

They managed to clean up enough to get into the shower. They meticulously cleaned each other, scrubbing every inch of exposed skin before Holden sunk down to his knees taking Sean into his mouth. Starting at the head, and licking the underside before gently sucking the tip, Sean moaned and ran his hands into Holden's hair, angling to get more of himself farther into the warm wetness of his lover's mouth. Holden greedily took more relaxing the back of his throat to fit as much of his lover's member as he could into his warm wet mouth. He hollowed out his cheeks to add suction. His hands held Sean's hips, moving them along with his mouth; he slowly moved one of his hands to stimulate the part of him that he could not fit into his mouth. Sean soon started thrusting his hips in time with Holden's stroking, all to soon Sean couldn't told it anymore and climaxed, Holden swallowed every drop that he was offered before releasing Sean from his mouth.

"You have always been amazing at that" Sean said pulling Holden up from his knees and crashing their bodies together.

"I aim to please, babe" Holden smiled as he turned off the water and stepped out of the shower, they took turns slowly drying each other before heading back into their bedroom and turning in for the night.

* * *

**Thank you so much for reading. Sorry it's taken so long to get back to it. **

**Please Review**

**~Bunny**


	2. Chapter 2 Beginnings

**I am SOOO sorry that it has taken me so long to get back to this story. Life and writer's block got in the way, but it will defiantly be updated on a regular basis from now on. I have the next chapter completed and the rest of the story outlined. I can't promise any schedule right now, as I am in school and it might not be every week. I hope you all enjoy the rest of their story and that the wait was worth it. **

* * *

**Chapter 2. Beginnings**

The Couple had met completely by accident at some fund raiser that Holden had been asked to go to by a friend. Sean was at the event for a reason they never really figured out. Neither had been looking forward to that night, the fake smiles, uncomfortable come-ons from women who were out for a good time, or looking to land Mr. hotshot football player. Half way through the event, Holden's date got sick, but insisted that he stay to make their donation. Seating got messed up somehow and the two ended up at the same table.

Both felt the attraction right away, and they spend the rest of the event talking and laughing, as if they had been friends since grade school. At the end of the night they exchanged numbers and made plans to have drinks to continue their brainstorming about an idea that they had come up with during dinner. Neither wanted to get their hopes up for anything more than friendship; but drinks turned into a lot more without them having to have that awkward 'where is this going' conversation.

Things happened naturally for them, with only small bumps along the way. Dinners were a regular part of their relationship, usually disguised as a business or a private dinner in one of their homes. They slowly came out to their families for each other, but didn't want it to go beyond that. The only other people that knew about them were Alex and James, though they hadn't been told.

The couples had met through friends on a 'getaway' vacation. Not something Sean or Holden ever would have done, except they had both been invited separately, so they took the opportunity to get away together. The group was a mix of singles and couples. It was a great time for everyone.

Everyone, except for Holden. He had been struggling with their decision to continue to hide their relationship, for a while but hadn't said anything. The women in their group and ones they met on the trip kept throwing themselves at both Sean and Holden, but it seemed that Holden was the only one discouraging them. Watching his partner shamelessly flirt with women in front of him was like rubbing salt in an already raw wound.

After a week of watching it happen, then having to sneak into each other's rooms so they could be together, he couldn't take it anymore. They ended up getting into a fight. Holden was sick of hiding. He told Sean that he didn't want to have to sneak around to see the man he loved. That if something didn't change, he couldn't be with him anymore. Sean just stood there, shocked at what had just happened. The silence was loaded so Holden took off to find a bar to drown his pain in, rather than face being rejected.

James and Alex had a room right next to Sean's. They had overheard everything, and felt that they needed to help the couple before their stupidity drove them apart. James followed Holden, they way he hadn't followed Alex when they were in a similar position. Alex knocked on the still open door to find Sean still standing frozen, scared to admit that he had screwed up so badly. It wasn't until Alex had made him sit that he even registered the relative stranger in his hotel room. Sean was not forced to make a choice: his heart, or his 'image'.

* * *

It might have taken him a little while to figure out exactly what he was going to do, but with the help of their new friends Sean to do the very thing he had been avoiding his whole life, be he was happy to make that sacrifice to keep the man he loved. He only wished he had done it before, and not wasted all that time scared. He just prayed that he wasn't too late to get a second chance.

* * *

"So James called yesterday. He wanted to know if we wanted to go to dinner with him and Alex" Holden said he and Sean were in bed cuddled up.

"Yeah? What did you tell him?" They hadn't really talked about going out as a couple yet, let alone double dating with some of the friends that had known about them before Sean's big announcement.

"I told them that I'd talk to you about it. I know we haven't made an decisions yet, and that you just came out, and that you want to take us slow… but I'd love to be able to go out to dinner with friends and be able to hold your hand."Holden said barely taking a breath, he wanted so badly to be able to show his love to others, and not have to hide it. Sean coming out was just the first step in their journey together.

"Going to dinner sounds like a good idea." Sean replied placing a soft kiss on Holden neck before rolling him onto his back and continuing to kiss him until they were both breathless. Switching back to his neck and continuing until he was on his knees between his lover's legs, both of them painfully hard. Holden reached over into the bed side table and retrieved the lube necessary for them to be intimate. Returning to his previous position, he came in contact with Sean's hard length, causing them both to moan at the contact.

Quickly passing the lube to Sean, Holden used his current position to create friction; Sean's answering groan brought a smile to his face. Grabbing on to his hips to still him, Sean quickly applied the lube to both of them, before gently entering his lover. Moans filled the room as they moved together. Their pace slowly increasing, as their desire and need for each other grew more intense. Feeling his own release building, Sean took Holden's hardened member in his hand and stroked him in time with his thrusting. Before long they were both moaning as they reached their peak together.

* * *

Sean fiddled with the collar of his shirt, which was maybe the tenth one he has tried on that night. He was nervous and he always changed a million times before deciding what to wear when he was nervous. Holden smiled and walked up behind him, looping his arms around him, placing his head on his shoulder. "It's going to be ok. Just like before, only now we don't have to hide."

"I know, I'm excited about that, but I'm also nervous. I've never done this before, not when people knew anyway. I'm used to being the play boy ladies man. Being honest all this is still new to me."

"It's ok babe. I'm nervous to. I just hide it better than you." He said with a smirk and a slap on the ass before he grabbed his tie off the bed and went to answer the knock at the door. "Hurry up. I can stall for so long."

"Get it together, for him." He mumbled to himself before grabbing the first thing he had pick out, threw it on and was headed down stairs just as James called up the stairs to him.

"So high maintenance for a jock."

"We can't all be naturally pretty, like you fine babes." He called back as he came jogging down the stairs, all put together, hair still slightly damp from his shower.

"Are we ready then?" Holden asks winking at Sean.

* * *

The four hadn't even made it out of the car before they are swarmed by half a dozen people with cameras snapping pictures of the couple stepping out for the first time. While none of them want the attention. Sean simply smiles at them and grabs Holden's hand as the make their way in to the popular dinner spot.

"Well that was fun." James says laughs as he pull out a chair for Alex then sat down himself.

"I've never had so much attention at once. How do you deal with it?" Alex replied sitting across from Sean. The waiter came over and took their drink orders. 3 beers and an glass wine.

"It's never been this bad before; although I've never done anything to attract this much attention." Sean said. "I've tried to keep them out of my personal life. So much for that." He said with a shrug.

"You still haven't," Holden said putting his hand on Sean's thigh under the table. "Coming out shouldn't cause this much attention to be drawn to you. You've been gay all along, but they didn't know it. Nothing has changed except now people are aware of it."

Sean smiled and held Holden hand under the table. As much as he hated all the attention it was drawing, he was glad he came out. Simply because he could now go out to dinner and show off the big hunk of man he had gotten himself.

"Well as much as I agree that orientation isn't worth garnering this much attention from the world, some one of your status admitting that you are gay is going to get attention. Especially when you did it on as grand a scale as you did. Calling a press conference to tell the world was pretty awesome," James smiled across the table.

"Well the attention is worth it, if only to let everyone know that Holden is off the market to everyone but me."

"Is that what this means?" Holden asked with a knowing smile on his face.

"That's exactly what it means." Sean smiled and leaned over and kissed Holden.

Cameras went off all around them. The couple smiled at each other, as Holden blushed hiding his face in Sean's neck. Sean laughed and shrugged it off, determined not to let the attention change how he interacted with his boyfriend.

The rest of dinner went smoothly. Both couples sharing the affection they felt for each other through out. It was the most fun Sean had had in a long time. He was finally able to completely be himself, without having to worry about the backlash it would have on his career. Holden had never made his sexuality a secret, but he never really went out enough for people to know. When he did, it was usually with a woman because it was safer. Being out together was something they had been longing to do for a long time, but both were afraid to make the change. At the end of the night, they decided to make their double date a regular occurrence, and went off to their respective partners with no one around to witness their affection.

* * *

**Thanks again for sticking with me. I hope you enjoyed this look into their start and new beginning together.**

**Please review and let me know what you think.**

**~Bunny**


	3. Chapter 3 Moving

**Hope I did better on the updating this time. lol. Enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter 3. Moving Forward.

It had been a couple of months since the couple had made their relationship known to the public. They were both incredibly happy. Holden felt that this was as important to Sean as it was to him. Sean had been offered several deals, none that would keep him in California to play, which is what he was really hoping for, so he took a Deal with the Dallas Cowboys that was a one year with an optional second year. Holden was in a position where he would be able to go and visit a lot but it wouldn't be all the time, and they would still be spending a good deal of time apart.

Neither of them was looking forward to the distance that the deal caused for them. They had both gotten used to being able to spend their free time together, falling asleep together, and their weekly dinners with James and Alex. They managed to keep them, despite everyone's busy schedules. During one of their more recent dinners, the couple had mentioned that they had started the process of adopting a little girl named Julie.

The future was not a subject Holden wanted bring up, he was so happy that they were together and moving forward, that he had no intention of pushing Sean into something that he wasn't ready for. Sean on the other hand didn't want to bring up the future because he knew his career was going to take him away from Holden for months and he didn't want to expect anything. If he didn't voice what he wanted to Holden, then he wouldn't get hurt if he didn't want to wait for the season to be over.

The two had made a trip to Dallas a few weeks earlier and found a condo that was mostly furnished and would be close enough to everything, but far out enough to give him some peace from the city. Unlike their home, the condo had no personal touches. It was stark and bland, white walls, no pictures; nothing to make it feel like home. Sean mentioned this to Holden and how he wanted to bring some of their photos with him. To have a little piece of home in Dallas, for when they can't be together.

After going through the house and selecting which pictures and things that he wants to bring with him, Sean was getting frustrated with Holden. It seemed that everything he wanted to bring with him, Holden wanted to keep there. Crossing the room, he picks up the frame that holds prominent place on their living room wall. It was a photo of the couple taken at a charity gala they had attended shortly after Sean came out. The event was their official debut as a couple. They wore matching tuxes that brought out the blue in their eyes; each wore a cream colored rose on their lapel. In the photo, they were wrapped up in a slow dance, lost in their own world. It wasn't until they had been sent a copy of the photo that they even realized one had been taken.

"No. That belongs here." Holden said as he looked at which photo Sean was holding

"You can print off another copy of it later" Sean said moving to go wrap it so that the frame wouldn't get damaged when it was loaded on the truck.

"No, it has to stay here. I'll send you a copy of it to keep there." He moved to take it from Sean.

"No. It's coming with me. We've been over this, I want you to come with me but that is not possible. So we agreed that I would take some of our things so I'll have pieces of you with me. Why won't you let me?" Sean said finally having enough of the back and forth about what he was going to bring with him. He didn't understand why Holden was having such a problem today.

"I know that you want me there, and I'll be there as often as possible. You also have to realize that I have a job here, and responsibilities that I can't just abandon to be with you."

"I know that. Do you think I wanna leave? Be away from you for longer than a day? I hate it, but it's my job. I have to do this. One more season and then I'm done. All I need is to prove to myself that I can still do this. Then I'm done, and we can settle down and start a family, we can go anywhere, do anything. I can get a job that will still keep me connected to football, but it won't be everything. Hell even this isn't everything to me anymore. You mean more to me than playing football."

"Really? Then why are you leaving? Running away again?"

"I'm not running! I have to go. I did everything I could to get a closer team. This was the closest team with a half decent offer. There were better deals, some double what I'm getting, but that didn't matter. What mattered and still does is that this was a close as I could get. Hell Dallas is still too far away. If I was running, I wouldn't want to take you with me."

"I don't want you to go! We finally have everything going forward. I thought we were on the same page, but now you're off again." Hearing this, Sean put the picture down on the couch, and moved closer to Holden.

"We are on the same page. I'm doing this for us. So that I can close this chapter of my life then start the next one with you. I need to get it out of my system before we do anything else. I' know it's selfish to ask you to wait, especially after everything that's happened but I love you and I want to be with you. I want to do this together." He explains as best as he can, while taken Holden's hands in his own.

"Together?" Holden couldn't hide the skepticism in is voice. Sean had never mentioned the future for them, or at all besides playing football again.

"Yeah. When I'm done we can get married, find a different house in a better neighborhood. One with lots of kids, and a huge backyard."Sean pulled Holden closer to him, holding him close while maintaining eye contact so he could see just how much he wanted it. "I want all those things with you. I just have to do this for me first. Then it's all about you and us; our future. I love you and I need you to know I'm doing all of this for us. I know I don't talk about this stuff often. Just know that I want it all, but only if it's with you."

"I feel the same way. I was so sure you were choosing your career over me again."

"No, I will never make that mistake again. Losing you was the worst thing that has ever happened to me. I will do anything to avoid feeling that lost and broken ever again." The smile on Holden's face was breath taking. "You have to know that. I love you Holden."

"I love you to. I'm sorry I freaked." Holden spoke pulling Sean in for an sweet kiss.

"it's ok. It's actually nice to know I'm not the only one who is unsure and going crazy over this. You've been so calm and ok with everything, I was worried you wouldn't wait for me."

"Of course I'll wait. I've waited this long haven't I?" he laughed pulling him back in, only this time it was so innocent. Holden wanted to show him just how much he really cared, and how much hope he had for their future together. Sean gladly returned the love and passion. The kiss grew more heated. Soon the two were on the couch, clothing flying in all directions, until a crash and the sound of glass breaking broke them apart.

"Shit!" Holden jumped up trying in vain to reverse the damage to their favorite picture. "Ow" having cut himself on the broken glass; he gave up, not wanting to get blood on the picture.

Stilling Holden's bloody hand, he pulled him up and towards the bathroom. "We can replace the picture, but I can't replace you. Let's clean this up." The couple exchanged a heated moment in exchange for expressing something more important to them; their love for each other.

* * *

**Thank you for reading. Please review. Let me know if you like where this is heading. **

**~Bunny**


End file.
